Dry mop cleaning apparatus



Dec. 30, 1952 FElNEN 2,623,230

DRY MOP CLEANING APPARATUS v Filed June 16, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET l INVENTOR. a /0m s F//VA4 40 J5 9 4/ 9 ATTORNEY fbmw Dec. 30, 1952 N. FEINEN 2,623,230

DRY MOP CLEANING APPARATUS Filed June 16, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 n.a,0aI,v,,, E

ELI l IN VEN TOR. /l /C//0Z/48 FV/Vf/V ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRY MOP CLEANING APPARATUS Nicholas'Feinen, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application June 16, 1949, Serial No. 99,547

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to dry mop cleaning apparatus and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided a dry mop cleaning apparatus comprising a container having a closed bottom and a cover for approximately one-half of the upper end thereof. Adjacent the bottom of the container is a fitting whereby the same may be connected to the suction tube of a conventional vacuum cleaner and on the bottom and adjacent one side of the inside of the container is mounted an especially designed grating or comb. Pivotally connected to the underside of the cover is a handle-gripping member which may be manually moved to one side when inserting a mop into the container or when removing it therefrom. It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the character set forth which is simple and inexpensive in construction and operation, attractive in appearance and yet efficient and effective in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of the character set forth in which a separate or movable cover is unnecessary.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in an apparatus of the character set forth,

of a novel handle-gripping and centering device to and removed from the vacuum tube of a conventional vacuum cleaner.

Another object of the invention is the provision,.in an apparatus of the character set forth of a novel grating forming a part of the invention.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof,

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3--3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line i I of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line fi-- of Figure 3,

Figure 7 is a perspective view of anelement of the invention,

Figure 8 is an enlarged plan view of another element of the invention.

Figure 9 is afragmentary elevational view, partly broken away, illustrating certain details of construction,

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken. along line Ill -I0 of Figure 6, and

Figure 11 is a perspective'view of a detail of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is. shown therein a container I0 which is shown as being octagonal in cross sectional area but which may be of any convenient or desirable shape and which is formed with an inturned lip I I at its upper end and which is provided with a raised bottom. I2 which is provided with an integrally formed annular dependent portion I3 which is welded or otherwise afiixed to the lower inner edge of the container I 0.

Either formed integrally with or otherwise permanently affixed to the container ID is a cover I4 which extends over one-half of the upper end of the container I0. A fitting I5 is mounted in the side of the container adjacent the lower end thereof and is provided with wings It which are designedto reinforce the fitting. The fitting I5 is designed to removably receive the one end of a conventional vacuum tube Ito of a vacuumcleaner IT.

The cover I4 is provided at its inner end with a diametrically extendingdownturned lip I8- hav ing a slot I9. extending from a point adjacent the center thereof to apoint adjacent one end thereof.

An elongated bracket 20 which is U-shaped in cross section has one of its arms 2| affixed to the inner face of the lip I8 by means of bolts 22 and is cut away, as indicated at 23, to provide access to nuts 24' which engage the bolts 22.

The bracket I8 is provided with a centrally disposed cut away portion 25 within which, is mounted a hinge construction generally indicated at 25. The hinge construction comprises an opentopped cylindrical member 21 havin a relatively small opening 28 centrally disposed in the bottom thereof and having a semi-circumferential slot formed in the side thereof. The slot is designated at 29. A bolt 3i) extends through the cover I4 downwardly through the cylindrical member 27 and through the opening 28 and a wing nut 3i ibs t hreadably mounted upon the lower end of the A mop-engaging member is shown in Figure 8 and comprises a single piece of spring metal bent at one end, as indicated at 32, to form a pair of arms 33 which extend for approximately half of their length in a parallel direction, as indicated at 34, and thence outwardly as indicated at 35 and thence again inwardly to form flared lip portions 36. The curved portion 32 is adapted to be inserted into the slot 29 and to encircle the bolt 30.

Mounted upon the bottom 12 and along that side of the container 10 wherein is mounted the fitting I5, is a grating or comb which consists of a U-shaped frame member 31 which is mounted in spaced relation to the bottom 12 and parallel thereto by means of a plurality of bolts 38 provided with wing nuts 39 and spacing members 40.

Interconnecting the arms of the U-shaped member 3'! is a series of spaced cross members 4| each of which extends upwardly in a substantially arcuate path of which is provided with integrally formed undulating teeth 42.

The rear ends of the legs of the U-shaped member 31' are bent vertically upwardly, as indicated at 43, and are each connected by means of couplings 44 to an inverted U-shaped frame 45 which extends upwardly to a point immediately beneath the cover l4. The frame 45 is provided with outwardly extending spaced cross members 46 which are identical in construction with the members 41 heretofore described and which are provided with teeth 4! also as heretofore described with regard to the members 42.

It will be apparent that the handle-engaging member shown in Figure 8 of the drawings extends through the slot i9 and also through a slot 48 formed in the arm 2| of the member 20 and which slot 48 is in registry with the slot 19. It will also be seen that the cover l4, since it extends over but half of the upper end of the container I0 will leave an opening 49 in the upper end of the container.

In operation, it will be apparent that a dry mop 50 having a handle 51 may be inserted into the container 10 through the opening 49, care having first been taken to move the handleengaging member to one side as shown in the dotted line position thereof in Figure 2. After the mop has been so inserted, the handle-engaging member is brought back to a position where it is at right angles to the lip 18 whereupon the handle 5! is inserted between the lips 36 forcing the same apart and then forced inwardly to a point where it is engaged by the portions 35. The vacuum cleaner I1 is now engaged with the coupling I5 and switched to operating condition. The user may then grasp the handle 5| of the mop 50 between the palms of his hands and by moving his hands back and forth will cause the handle 5| and consequently the mop 50 to revolve, first in one direction and then in the opposite direction. Centrifugal force will thereupon force the strands of the mop 59 in an outward direction and suction will cause a greater portion of the ii i) mop to be drawn into contact with the members 4| and 46 and their respective teeth 42 and 41 thus assisting in ridding the mop of such material as may have become entangled therein while at the same time the suction will remove dust from the mop. It will also be apparent that while the device is in operation air will be drawn into the opening 49 and hence it is unnecessary to have a removable cover or a hinged cover or the like for this opening 49 thus eliminating a great deal of additional work on the part of the user and likewise drawing into the container 10 by means of the suction applied by the vacuum cleaner I1, any dust which may be in the air immediately surrounding the apparatus forming the present invention.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An apparatus of the character described comprising a container, a bottom for the container, an integrally formed cover for the container extending approximately over one-half the area of the top of the container to thereby define a relatively large mop-receiving opening in the top of said container, a mop handle-engaging member pivotally connected to the underside of the cover and swingable to a substantially central position in said opening, a fitting for receiving a conventional vacuum cleaner suction tube mounted in the wall of the container beneath the solid portion of said cover, said fitting being positioned adjacent the bottom, and a grating amxed to the bottom and extending horizontally across the said bottom and vertically along that side of the container adjacent the fitting and beneath said cover, said grating comprising a frame including a pair of parallel horizontal arms and a pair of parallel vertical arms and a plurality of spaced transversely mounted arcuate cross members interconnecting the pairs of parallel arms and presenting their convex sides outwardly from the bottom and adjacent side of the container.

NICHOLAS FEINEN.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,253,264 McKay Jan. 15, 1918 1,572,102 Braunsdorf Feb. 9, 1926 1,614,968 Rado et a1 Jan. 18, 1927 1,788,844 Powell Jan. 13, 1931 1,913,782 Willard June 13, 1933 1,929,609 Schempp Oct. 10, 1933 2,033,672 Baker Mar. 10, 1936 

